Short summary 4th KIT-LUT-VTT Workshop on “Integration Challenges in Power2X Synthesis and Electrolysis”

From May 13th to 15th up to 46 researchers from two Finish institutions, VTT and Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT), as well as participants from CIEMAT (Spain), Differ (Netherlands), DLR Stuttgart (Germany), and from different KIT Institutes met and discussed ongoing research activities in the areas of electrolyser and “Power2X” technologies. At this 4th workshop in series the focus was on the broader grid context of and the energy system perspective. The event was supported by the EERA Joint Program for Energy Storage and brought together experts and young researchers from electrical-, chemical engineering and natural sciences, legal advisors, and entrepreneurs.

Company presentations and a site visit have introduced the current development status in these technologies. Electrolyser challenges lie in the understanding of energy losses in the system, f.i. shunt currents, optimal integration to utilize the waste heat and provide the necessary pressure levels for subsequent processes.

Within Power2X technologies the focus is on production of sustainable aviation fuels but also the importance of methanol and dimethylether as intermediates to chemicals and fuels is going to be addressed. Besides analysing and benchmarking well known concepts, also new approaches have been presented. An electrochemically assisted reactor for the synthesis of fuels based on a potassium/sodium ion conductor has been introduced by CIEMAT and DIFFER reported on the achievements of the Kerogreen project utilizing a plasma-based process to synthesize aviation fuels.

Examples for integration and hybrid configurations have been address in both the individual session, as well as a dedicated session on “Integration Challenges”. For remote operating system such offshore applications, contribution span from subsystems for wastewater management to the overall system modelling and the techno economic analysis.

After 1 ½ day of presentations and discussions, the participants visit the research and demonstration systems in the Energylab at KIT. The intense exchange on experience and research capabilities will be concluded by a brainstorming session, to explore concrete R&D activities extending existing and creating new collaborations.
The organizers from VTT, LUT and KIT thanks all the participants for their contributions and lively discussions, and the EERA Joint Program Energy Storage (SP2 Chemical Energy Storage) for the financial support.